Gio Gonzalez tames New York Mets as Washington Nationals win 6th in a row

NEW YORK -- Gio Gonzalez continued his mastery of the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon, when the left-hander carried a no-hitter into the sixth and earned the win with 6 1/3 strong innings as the Washington Nationals posted a 3-1 victory.

The Nationals (12-5) have won six straight. The Mets (8-10) have lost seven of eight.

Gonzalez allowed one run on two hits and three walks while striking out six in improving to 9-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 14 career starts at Citi Field.

The afternoon got off to a laborious start for Gonzalez, who walked two and threw 30 pitches in the first inning. But he retired 13 straight batters between the first and fifth as he embarked upon his second flirtation with a no-hitter at Citi Field. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a one-hit shutout on Sept. 9, 2013.

The no-hit bid for Gonzalez ended Saturday when Juan Lagares delivered a clean single up the middle with none out in the sixth The hit sent Jose Reyes, who led off with a walk, to second. Reyes scored on a one-out single by Asdrubal Cabrera, but Gonzalez struck out Jay Bruce and Neil Walker to end the threat.

Gonzalez (2-0) and Blake Treinen combined to throw a perfect seventh, Enny Romero retired all five batters he faced and Koda Glover earned his first career save by getting pinch-hitter Travis d'Arnaud to fly out to left.

Matt Wieters gave the Nationals a lead they'd never relinquish with an RBI single in the fourth while Trea Turner (double) and Ryan Zimmerman (single) each had run-scoring hits in the fifth. Turner, Adam Eaton and Daniel Murphy all had two hits apiece.

Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom (0-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on eight hits and six walks while striking out 10 over 5 2/3 innings.

NOTES: The Mets were once again without LF Yoenis Cespedes (left hamstring), who missed his second straight game, and C Travis d'Arnaud (right wrist), who was out of the lineup for a third straight game. With an off-day Monday, Cespedes is likely to sit Sunday night as well. D'Arnaud pinch-hit for the second straight game and is day-to-day. ... Nationals LF Jayson Werth (groin) missed his third consecutive game but could return to the lineup on Sunday night.